Organiser delighted with turnout for Bicycle Works time-trial

Sam Murley

Created: May 30, 2022 10:05 PM (Updated: May 30, 2022 10:06 PM)

Divisional honours: Anthony Smith, who won the Citizen Division and finished thirteenth overall in the Bicycle Works individual time-trial on Sunday (Photograph by Rochelle Smith)

Jennifer Lightbourne hailed the continued success of the island’s cycling scene after a strong field competed in the Bermuda Bicycle Association’s time-trial organised by Bicycle Works on Sunday.

Fresh from the staging of the Sinclair Packwood Memorial Race on Friday, 36 adult riders turned out to race the ten-mile course — starting and finishing on Kindley Field Road.

Having finished as runner-up to VT Construction team-mate Dominique Mayho in the Bermuda Day race, Steve Smith this time clinched race victory in the Open Division, crossing the line in 23min 19sec ahead of Steve Millington, who clocked a time of 24:04, with Toby Wright completing the podium places just a second slower in 24:05.

Maddie Durkin, who finished in sixth overall, took the honours in the Women’s Division in a time of 25:33, slightly less than a minute faster than Louise Wells, who claimed eleventh place overall in 26:23, a further two minutes quicker than Anabelle Miller, whose time of 28:23 saw her finish 23rd.

Citizen Division victory went to Anthony Smith, who finished in thirteenth place overall in 26:52, beating Steve O’Reilly, whose time of 27:53 was good enough for seventeenth, while Jackson Langley wrapped up the top three places, finishing 21st overall in 28:04.

A total of five junior riders also competed in the Youth 13-14 Division in which Zach Moniz came out on top in a time of 13:51, slightly more than 30 seconds faster than Braxton Cooze in 14:23, with Andrew Thomas third in 14:28.

Lightbourne was delighted not only with the positive state of the sport in Bermuda but also the variety of competitors, including a healthy number of female riders who competed in the time-trial.

“Cycling in Bermuda continues to be in a really healthy place,” the race director said. “Different types of races cater for different strengths.

“The great thing about the time-trial is that you have more variety of people who get involved, including triathletes, who tend do really well.

“You also tend to get more women racing in time-trials who may not like the large riding groups within the road races, but want to dip their toes into racing.

“Hopefully having competed in a time-trial, more women will be more confident to perhaps take that step into criteriums and then road races.”